Brussels, 17/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - Members of the parliamentary committee on transport (TRAN) voted in unison to focus on passengers' rights in the proposal put forward by the European Commission for revision of air passengers' rights. Rapporteur Georges Bach (EPP, Luxembourg) commented after the voting on Tuesday 17 December that this was a “subject particularly biased in favour of industry, and backpedalling when it comes to passengers' rights”. His colleagues massively supported his approach by 37 votes in favour and three against. The committee rejected the thresholds for triggering reimbursement, compensation or re-routing raised by the Commission. They recommend one should take into account delays of three hours for regional flights below 2,500 km (compensation of €300, regional companies will benefit from additional 90-minute bonus), five hours for intra-European flights of up to 6,000 km (€400) and seven hours for flights outside Europe (€600). The Commission was counting on thresholds of five, nine and twelve hours. Compensation for one night in a hotel in the event of passengers being blocked was fixed at €125 by MEPs, after bitter discussion. MEPs also drew up a far stricter list of “exceptional circumstances”, in appendix, allowing airline companies to circumvent paying compensation. “Technical” failure may no longer be used to “mask other problems”, the rapporteur said, as the concept has now been far better defined. The MEPs' watchword is also to communicate with passengers, who should have a point of contact in airports and should also find clear information on their tickets regarding the weight and dimensions of hand luggage. Provisions have also been introduced to help passengers in the event of bankruptcy of an airline. The plenary session should take a stance in February 2014, and the rapporteur is counting on an agreement in first reading by the end of the legislature with the Council, which nonetheless appears unwilling to state how it will move (see EUROPE 10979). (MD/transl.jl)